A Solvable Model for Discrete Time Crystal Enforced by Nonsymmorphic Dynamical Symmetry

Abstract

Discrete time crystal is a class of nonequilibrium quantum systems exhibiting subharmonic responses to external periodic driving. Here we propose a class of discrete time crystals enforced by nonsymmorphic dynamical symmetry. We start with a system with nonsymmorphic dynamical symmetry, in which the instantaneous eigenstates become Möbius twisted, hence doubling the period of the instantaneous state. The exact solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation shows that the system spontaneously exhibits a period extension without undergoing quantum superposition states for a series of specifc evolution frequencies or in the limit of long evolution period. Moreover, in such case the system gains a π Berry phase after two periods' evolution. Finally, we show that the subharmonic response is stable even when many-body interactions are introduced, indicating a DTC phase in the thermodynamic limit.

5 pages, 4 figures